Bicycling Mag's Outrageous March Issue

Bicycling Mag's Outrageous March Issue

Feb-05-16 09:20 pm

Below is the text of an email I just sent to Bicycling in the wake of their March issue, which reaches a new low in the annals of bicycle safety. This is a widely read publication that represents cycling to the public, including kids. I've written to Bicycling before, critical of their disregard for safety by featuring both ads and stories that picture cyclists in low-visibility kits. But that's NOTHING compared to the current issue on ... wait for it... bicycling with DOGS! I encourage you to write to them expressing your concern. Don't expect them to print the letters or respond.

Folks — What a clever idea! An April Fool’s issue in March! Wow! Wow! Wow! A cover story dedicated to riders who have a lower IQ than their pets!

What an amazing cover! A rider who is wearing a dog instead of a helmet! Who would have thought of that?

And what a GREAT shot of Dylan, pulling his master down a street at night while, without a helmet, he rides with his feet on the handlebars! And there’s Inyo, whose master doesn’t need a helmet, either, because Inyo stabilizes the front of the bike!

Wait! Wait! There’s more: a woman riding helmetless down a rain-slick street at dusk, with no reflectors or lights. And what a great “Know How” section, as our savvy bike builder demonstrates how smart it is to ride around rainy Seattle all dressed in black — and, of course, with no helmet.

And what’s this? A story about helmets on page 99? What on earth would anybody need one of those for?

Next year, how about whole issue dedicated to letting your kids play with handguns on the back of your tandem?